Romantic tension simmers through this novel from beginning to end, as unrequited love competes with the love of a lifetime. The object of all this affection is the lovely Maddy, a young woman who, in 1913, has returned to her parents in Bombay after spending her formative years at school in England, her dreams of staying there and becoming a teacher shattered by the indiscretions of a wayward uncle.
So, while she is happy to see her beloved father – her distant mother not so much – she is unhappy about having to remain in the hot and steamy environment of colonial India.
Especially when her mother seems determined to marry her off to Guy, a kind, courteous, undeniably handsome, but much older, surgeon. Then one evening at the social club, Maddy catches sight of a stranger in a linen jacket… and a spark is lit. When the stranger, Luke Devereaux, sends her a package the next morning, Maddy’s life in Bombay takes an exciting new turn. And thus begins a roller-coaster ride of love, passion and tragic circumstances.
As the story leads into the battlefields of France in World War I, the tension mounts and Maggie is forced to make some tough decisions. The plot twists of this richly atmospheric love story will keep you guessing until the very end.
Reviewer: Rowena Mara
Published by Hachette